Impact of Texting On Society Essay

A majority of 57 % of teenagers said they view their cell phones as the key to their social life. 47 % of teens say their social lives would end or worsen if texting was no longer an option. The impact of texting even expands in the classroom as numerous amount of teachers nationwide are noticing texting lingo in papers that are handed into them. 64 % of students nationwide say they text in class at least once a week. 54 % of teens prefer texting instead of talking face-to-face or talking on the phone. Texting has become the biggest phenomena in the past decade. One-third of American teens today text over 100 times a day. Texting has even expanded to adults. But in contrast to its original purpose, texting has become a curse, hindering communication, attentiveness, social lives, and even academics. Due to this, texting has become a phenomena that has changed or hindered development and abilities of society negatively. Furthermore, with the increasing numbers of texting, the use of texting messaging has hampered people’s abilities to communicate effectively. LOL, OMG, and BTW are examples of the new texting â€Å"lingo†. Text messaging started its own â€Å"language† in which words and sentences are shortened to what they sound like instead of how they are really spelled. When 293 of teachers where surveyed, 193 of them said that students are carrying text message lingo in their class assignments ( Negative Aspects of Text Messaging 1). This means that many students are shortening their words and using ineffective grammar not only while they text but also when they do school assignments. Even though many teachers have found texting habits in papers being handed into them, some say that the main problem is the lack of depth the students work. Texting is very simple and with the rapid growth of texting student’s sentence are starting to become simpler and less descriptive. Likewise, texting has caused a lack of verbal communication skills on people. Studies have shown that text messaging is the number one form of communication the people prefer, including face-to face or verbal communication. Text messaging is simpler than verbal communication because there is no real depth in the conversation and the people that are communicating don’t have to be engage in the conversation. College engineering major Darko Marquez agrees with this by saying â€Å"The thing I love most about texting is that unlike the phone where you have to sit and concentrate into a long, boring conversation, you can multi-task and talk to as much people as you want†(Cesar Marquez 1). Darko is an example of people in society today lacking the ability to get emotionally attached in a verbal conversation. Psychologist Cecilia Holguin has studied effect of texting on communication skills and her studies have shown that texting does not have any emotional connection compared to verbal conversations, which attracts many young people to texting(Cesar Marquez 1). This means that texting is making society simpler and less emotionally attached while communicating. Furthermore, effective communication and grammar is vital for society to improve intellectually. But unfortunately, texting messaging is playing a key role in hampering society’s improvement in communication and grammar. Likewise, texting has not just affected communication but is also has changed the development of adolescence. Texting has been profoundly used by teenagers in America. Almost, if not all, teens in society text to one another. Teenager’s text everywhere and anytime they can. Teens text in class, at the dinner table, at parties, even if they are in the same room they text to one another. Texting has been hurting many teenagers grades because they text instead of studying or doing homework. A 13 year-old teen named Reina grades plummeted because she texts about 14,528 messages a month(Katie Hafner 1). Reina was so focused on texting that she would push her schoolwork to the side. But grades is not the only thing affecting teens. Sleep deprivation has been a problem because many teens stay up later to text friends. About 80% of teens that text late at night have problems with maintaining good sleeping habits. Sleep deprivation itself has negative side effects on adolescent’s health such as unintentional injuries, poor school performance, low grades, and an increase in mood disturbances(Teen Texting Taking a Toll: Lack of Sleep May Impact School Performance and Mood 1). Furthermore, if texting is causing sleep deprivation, than the health of adolescent’s and their performance academically is at stake. Likewise, the emotional development of adolescents is taking a toll due to the rapid growth of texting. Many teens keep in touch with their parents throughout the day due to instant contact of texting. Due to this many teens have an attachment problem. Sherry Turkle studies have shown that with the constant contact of student’s parents teens lack independence and the ability to make decisions of their own (Texting is not talking 1). This means that instead of teens maturing on their own, they are becoming more dependent. Teens are very important in society because they are our future. If texting is negatively affecting teen’s developments, than there is no future. Texting needs to be limited in order for adolescences to mature into independent, intellectual adults. In continuation, different types of relationships have also been affected by the rapid growth of text messaging. Family structure is important in society because how kids are taught at home resemble their actions in public. Families are important to give advice, love, and support. But texting has played a key role in decreasing the amount of time families spend together. Teens are always texting to their peers, which normally isolates themselves from the rest of their family. Even at dinner time, numerous amounts of parents have said they have caught their child texting while at the dinner table. But it is not just teens, parents do it as well. Some parents usually text excessively for work, making it hard to spend time with their children. A parent-child relationship cannot be strengthen when a child or a parent is texting excessively which makes it harder for children to lose crucial life skills(Michele Borba 1). In romantic relationships, texting is a key attribute in many relationships. April Jones says that texting is major in her relationship and that she texts her boyfriend 20 times a day at least(Jefferson Graham 1). This means that April and her boyfriend have instant contact with each other which means less space and privacy. In continuation, some couples even call it quits through texting instead of face-to-face or a phone call. In a survey, 30% of the people surveyed said they have been dumped through texting and another 24% say it is acceptable to dump someone via text( Jefferson Graham 1). This means that text has decreased the emotional aspect of relationships and breaking up. Peter Tollner had experienced a break up via text and that most of the communication had been through texting even though they work in the same office( Jefferson Graham 1.) This means that romantic relationships have shifted to texting instead of affectionate time spent together. Bonds and relationships are important and in order to maintain these bonds time must be spent with one another. But with the increase of texting, family relationships and romantic relationships have changed for the worst. Furthermore, texting has ultimately became a distraction for many people of all ages. In the classroom, many teachers have caught their students texting. Schools across the nation have banned the use of cell phones in the classroom. But students continue to use their cell phones to check up on their peers or even text someone in their classroom. According to studies by Professors Deborah Tindell and Robert Bohlander, 95% of students bring their cell phone to class and 91% text while in class(Audrey Watters College Students Admit To â€Å"Shocking† Text Messaging Habits in Class 1). Of course it varies from school to school and class to class, but the number of students using cell phones in class is steadily increasing. This increase in cell phone use in class distracts students from the lesson and contributes to poor performances academically. Furthermore, what is worst than distractions in the classroom is distraction on the road due to texting. The numbers of people that are dying due to texting while has increased over the years. People who text while driving put themselves and others lives in danger. Even thought many states have banned DWT or driving while texting, but a new survey shows that 26% stiil do it and 60% of the 24% are from ages 16-19(Robert Roy Britt 1). This means that lives, especially youth lives, are in danger. According to studies, 16,000 deaths have been caused from texting while driving in a course of six years, 2002-2007,(Stephanie Hanes 1). The addictive aspects of texting have affected people so much they do it everywhere and anywhere they can. People do it in classrooms, in restaurants, and even while driving. Texting has become a major distraction in the classroom and even on the road. In continuation, texting has become people, especially adolescence’s, social lives and without texting many people would not know what to do. 57 % of students feel that their cell phones are a key to their social lives and 47% of that 57% feel that their social lives will get worse if their cell phones were taking from them. To maintain a healthy social life people must gather and enjoy an activity or spend time with each other. But now some people feel as if their the main part of a social life is communicating by texting instead of gathering together. Dr. Martin Joffe surveyed teens and found out that many students text about a hundred times a day(Katie Hafner 1). This means that most of time that teens spend together is not actually with each other but texting one another. With the rapid increase of texting, a new form of harassment is being displayed through texting. 39% of high school students said that they have been bullied through text messaging(Text-message bullying b ecoming more common 1). This means that rumors and nasty things are being said about teenagers through texting. This can ruin someone’s social life and even crush someone’s self-esteem. Bullying has been around for years, but with instant communication of texting more things can be spread to more people faster than ever. Social life is key for adolescence development. Texting has changed social life by communicating in person to texting being a number one form of communication. Texting has become a curse that has hindered many aspects of society such as communication, attentiveness, teenagers, social lives, and relationships. Texting has become a huge phenomena that is changing how adolescence develop mature. With the increase of texting, people no longer have to put forth the effort to do things that are normally done in person. Texting has made people more dependent and it has worsen critical thinking. Therefore, texting has become a problem that has negatively affected the skills and abilit ies of society.

Organizational Structure and Culture Essay

Authority structure within organizations is important for the oversight of delegated processes and expected outcomes. Without structure, chaos would impede support, communications, and vision development. Organizational designs vary according to the need of the organization to operate efficiently, to achieve goals, and to support the associates within the organization. The organizational structure style design helps lead the organization in successful endeavors (Sullivan & Decker, 2009). Organizational History The history of an organization contributes to the design of the formal organizational structure.  The medical center has a tumultuous history. A new modern building was constructed in 2000 to replace an older structure. The local physicians had no input into the decision or design of the new facility. The organizational structure during that time was a strict parallel design. The physicians reported to the chief medical officer and the Board of Trustees. The physicians jointly decided not to support the new local hospital; the organization began to collapse. The medical center eventually fell into bankruptcy because of the lack of physician support, poor financial management, and unscrupulous use of organizational monies. The court system retained a reconstruction organization in an attempt to rebuild the local hospital. During the time of bankruptcy the parallel organizational structure remained in place, but with less authority of the medical governance branch. The main focus of the organizational structure was financial survival of the organization. An immediate change was needed for the improvement of the dangerously low morale of the health care associates The once country owned, bankrupted not-for-profit-hospital was bought and sold twice before stabilization began to be a possibility. A corporation purchased the hospital and changed it to a for-profit organization. There was very little resistance to the change because the organization had been surviving in chaos. According to Kurt Lewin’s three stage theory of change, the first phase, the unfreezing phase, is an important phase of change. Change is getting ready to happen during this phase. The health care associates of the medical center had been getting ready for change for a few years. The unfreezing phase requires the development of motivation. Motivation was the chance to prosper in a successful business venture while delivering quality care to the community (â€Å"Kurt Lewin,† 2012). Generational Culture The generational culture of the organization had a positive effect on the change. There was a common goal developed, the success of the organization. The generational similarities outnumber the generational differences. According Anick (2008), â€Å"The top reason for happiness in the workplace is the sense of feeling valued† (Table 2. Elements on which members of each generation are mostly similar). The traditional, baby boomers, generation X, and generation Y became involved in the decision making as the new organization structure formed. They shared ideas and offered suggestions for patient care improvement. Informal leaders began to emerge. During the refreezing phase, the stabilization became the norm. The differences in the generational culture became more apparent. More processes, greater accountability, and new required use of technology caused a feeling of less worth for the older generation of health care providers. The younger nurses seemed to adapt more quickly to new systems and techniques. Older nurses began to believe they were less important to the process. The informal leader roles changed. A new information system was installed and education was initiated. This led to more attention on the differences of the generational cultures. Much of the required education was completed on the computer. E-mail is essential for communication within the organization. Some of the traditional generation began to feel left behind. At the end of the first year, many of the health care providers who had survived the previous chaos succumbed to the new advancements and left the organization. Current Organizational Design The current organizational structure of the medical center is a matrix design. The upper administration consists of a chief nursing officer, chief financial officer, and an assistant administrator. This group reports directly to the chief executive officer. The chief executive officer reports to the Board of Trustees. The medical center consists of two distinct campuses, four on-site clinics, and one clinic located off campus. The upper administration is responsible for the organization. The matrix esign is complex and requires good interpersonal skills for dual managers. Each nursing unit has a nurse manager. The nurse managers report to the chief nursing officer regarding any patient care issues. The nurse managers of the behavioral health campus also report to the behavioral health program director for organizational issues. The physicians are under the organizational umbrella for operational regulations but report to the chief medical officer regarding medical patient care. The resource manager has a dual reporting line to the chief nursing officer and the chief financial officer. The matrix requires frequent communication between the dual authorities. Non-management views the frequent meetings as meetings about meetings (Sullivan & Decker, 2009) Formal lines of reporting are evident within the organization. The nurse managers report to the chief nursing officer. Managers of departments involving financial business of the hospital report to the chief financial officer. Ancillary and support services report to the assistant administrator. The compliance officer, the pharmacy director and the behavioral health program director report directly to the chief executive officer. The formal lines of reporting are used for recognition of associates, disciplinary offenses, and arbitration of challenges between departments. Patient-Centered Care Environment The organization is creating an environment for client-centered care by the development of a nursing leadership council consisting of direct care providers. The council membership includes seven registered nurses from nursing units with day and night shift representation. The nursing council interviews associates and patients, observes processes, and reports findings to the council. Changes in nursing processes are approved through the nursing council with final approval by the chief nursing officer. The council members were selected using predetermined criteria. The informal leaders of individual departments were chosen for their job performances and their proven leadership skills. The shared governance gives ownership of patient care to the frontline caregivers (Hess, 2004). Organizational Communication Various communication methods are used within the organization. Formal, time sensitive communications are delivered face-to-face or by technology. E-mail and web conferencing are the most frequent used methods for upper administration. Both methods allow quick responses between the communicators. Upper-level management processes the information and decides the best delivery method to the next lower-level management, depending on the subject matter and the expected time frames. Middle management associates attend leadership meetings every two weeks. Management communicates organizational status through these meetings. Plans for future projects are discussed during the leadership meetings. Middle management has e-mail accounts and receives electronic communications on changes. Middle management holds departmental meetings at least monthly to distribute information to the direct care providers. Upper-level management holds open meetings for the direct care providers each quarter. The meetings focus on current organizational trends and plans. Direct care providers ask questions and make suggestions for improvement during the open meetings. Communication boards are placed in strategic areas through the work areas. Information is placed on the communication boards and updated weekly. Questions frequently come from the information from the boards. Conclusion The organizational structure can be descriptive of the culture of the organization. A ridged authoritarian organizational structure defines an organization that does not allow the frontline workers to participate in decisions that affect the organization. The matrix organizational design requires open communication between the leaders of the organization. Added shared governance from the frontline creates more awareness is put on the quality and delivery of the product. Organizational structures vary and are representative of the leadership within.

Analyzing The Origin Of The Taliban, A Political Outfit Of The Sunni Islamic Extremists

Analyzing The Origin Of The Taliban, A Political Outfit Of The Sunni Islamic Extremists Terrorism is an incredibly hard word to define. Due to its largely elusive nature, the definition of terrorism is constantly evolving and changing over time, as are the forms and methods it manifests itself in. The dictionary definition of terrorism is â€Å"the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims. This definition is by no means inaccurate, and encompasses the intrinsic characteristics of terrorism. I believe, however, that this definition excludes important facets of terrorism as we know it today, such as the use of fear and terror as a mechanism to achieve its goals. In addition to this, I think that the dictionary definition neglects to mention that terrorism often focuses on the pursuit of radical religious and social reforms, not solely political aims. I would define terrorism as: The use of violence and coercion by a unified group in order to instill fear and terror amongst its victims so that they are forced into submission, allowing the group in question to achieve its radical, political, religious, and/or social aims. Today I am choosing to write about The Taliban, an organization of great notoriety and infamy. An extremist offshoot of the Mujahedeen, guerilla warriors that primarily opposed the Soviets during the Soviet- Afghan war, The Taliban is an Islamic fundamentalist. The Taliban were founded on October 10th 1995 in Afghanistan. Due to the extreme political and social turmoil the country was experiencing at the time, the Taliban were able to rise to power quickly and efficiently. Afghanistan had never been able to establish more than a puppet government after the Soviets withdrew from their country, aiding the Taliban further in their near effortless rise to power. Afghanistan had once been ruled by a constitutional monarchy, and under this government the country had been stable and prosperous. Afghanistan had been making great strides towards modernization since its founding in 1926, and economic prosperity within the country allowed many to thrive. In 1973, however, Afghanistan’s king, Zahir Khan, was overthrown in a coup d’etat by his cousin Daoud Khan. The coup was performed in retaliation to the King’s new agenda which prevented relatives of the King from holding cabinet positions, and former King Zahir Khan, who had been in Italy receiving surgery at the time of the coup, was exiled there. Afghani citizens assumed that Daoud Khan would name himself the new king of Afghanistan, but instead he appointed himself as president of the republic he was to establish. Daoud ruled until 1978 as a centrist, moderate president, but was overthrown by a left-wing, communist militant group. The democracy was destroyed and the power was then spilt into 2 communist parties that ruled over the tumultuous country. The new government was wildly unpopular amongst Afghan citizens, but forged close ties with the Soviet Union, at that time the largest communist power in the world. The communist parties, with the support of the USSR, implemented extensive social reforms, and prevented all efforts of domestic opposition through violence. 27,000 political prisoners were executed during this reign. The communist rule was bitterly resented by the devoutly Muslim and largely anticommunist population. Despite government efforts to suppress any form of retaliation, a group of guerilla warriors colloquially known as â€Å"holy warriors† or â€Å"freedom fighters† began opposing the communist regime. Formally known as The Mujahedeen, this militant group gained the support and funding of the United States due to their ardent opposition to the communist regime that had taken over the country. Largely due to American support, the USSR soon recognized the Mujahedeen as a forceful threat to the communist presence in Afghanistan. Subsequently, Afghanistan was invaded in December 1979 by the Soviet 40th Army to support the communists and oppose the Mujahedeen. The Afghan communist faction was appointed a Soviet leader to oversee their actions, and the faction quickly grew to over 100,000 soldiers. Soviet forces tried to quell efforts of the Mujahedeen through bombings, executions and the torture of prisoners, but these methods only angered the population and fueled the resista nce. In a world torn by the Red Scare, The Mujahedeen gained the support of many anti-communist world powers in their fight against the communist superpower that was the USSR. Their guerilla tactics ultimately forced the Soviets out of Afghanistan, and the soviets withdrew after 9 years in Afghanistan. The Mujahedeen, however, was never successful in establishing a functional government, and 7 years later in 1996, the Taliban took over. The Taliban acted as the official government of Afghanistan from 1996-2001, when the American military in conjunction with Afghan opposition forces ousted them as a governmental force, and the Taliban became an insurgent force within the region. The Taliban formed their ideology as a radical and fundamentalist combination of Islamic law and Pashtun tribal codes. Under this extremist interpretation, the Taliban outlawed many practiced and activities formerly considered lawful and routine to Islam life, such pork, almost all forms of consumer technology, female sport, alcohol, kite-flying, television, music, internet, and art forms such as paintings or photography. In addition to these parameters, men were also forbidden from shaving facial hair and required to wear a head covering, and were subjected to beatings if they did not abide by this requirement. Afghan sports stadiums became routine venues for public executions and punishments. Girls were forbidden from going to school and women were forbidden from working outside of their houses. In addition to this, women ran the risk of being beaten or killed if they left their house without being accompanied by a male relative, or having their finger cut off if it’s nail w as decorated with nail polish. Because of their combined Islam and Pashtun ideologies, many practices of the Qu’ran were violated under Taliban rule, resulting in widespread religious disapproval. The Taliban have been extremely successful in achieving their goals in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Their presence and influence have dominated civilian lifestyle and national government to an extreme extent. So extreme, that they have faced large opposition and intervention from western forces such as the United States military. Following the Taliban’s attacks on US soil on September 11th, 2001, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic ties with the Taliban, which had formerly been recognized as a legitimate government in these countries. The Taliban also offered asylum and support to the even more extremist offshoot group, al-Qaeda, and their leader Osama bin Laden, who had fought in the Mujahedeen and provided financial support to the Taliban. The Security Council of the United Nations intervened in this relationship in 1999, when they demanded that the Taliban hand over bin Laden for trial and cease their support for terrorism. The Taliban, however, did not re spond to this international cry for justice, but instead continued terrorist activities, primarily in Afghanistan, and refused to hand over Bin Laden. Today, the Taliban is ruled by Mullah Akhtar Mansour, and is a largely Pashtun (as opposed to Hazara, the other ethnic group of Afghanistan) movement. They operate prominently in Afghanistan and Pakistan, but their influence and presence is widespread across the Middle East. The Taliban still exist as a magnum force in many Middle Eastern countries. Although Bin Laden was assassinated by US forces, the organization is still in action. Currently, however, the Taliban is facing not only opposition from the vast majority of the western world, but also from the relatively new terrorist group, ISIS, which has risen to great prominence in recent years.

The User Manual for a Printer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The User Manual for a Printer - Essay Example The papers are usually of standard sizes. The standard sizes allowed are such as A3, A4 or A5 sizes depending on the size of the print device. These sheets of paper are usually placed on a tray on the side of the print device from which they are rolled in whenever information requires being printed. Print devices vary in speed, size, cost, and sophistication. The print devices get more expensive with higher resolution printing color and or what it prints. Before using the print device, first, ensure that it has been installed correctly on the computer. After this, adjust the printer features. The printer features include the paper input, test print, maintenance, system and host interface, SRL, (2009). These features are adjustable at the print device’s interface. These printer features usually allow one to get to the basic printer settings that are in charge of controlling the printer’s operations. The following are the steps to follow when first using a print device. First set the sheets of paper fittingly on the pushed out tray of the printer. Different paper size can be noted by the labels on the different trays of the printer. The next step is that of setting the print activity or canceling a print in progress. On the menu, select [file] then click on [print]. The next step is to select the printer you want to use the [name] list, it will show a list of your printers. Select the printer you want to use and select [OK ]. Click [OK] to begin printing. When canceling a printing session in progress, first double click on the printer icon. Select the job you would like to end and click [cancel printing]. Printer Reference, (2011). This part deals with the prompt messages that periodically show on the display.  

Impacts of Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss as a Mathematician Term Paper

Impacts of Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss as a Mathematician - Term Paper Example In his lifetime, Gauss had hardly made a contribution to the field of mathematics. It is said that the German mathematician was aloof to the pubic world of the mathematicians notable in his days. Gauss only communicated to a few of his trusted friends who were also strongly inclined to mathematics. Besides Bolyai, Schumacher was one of Gauss’s trusted correspondence in which the latter confided to the former about his spending a â€Å"considerable time on geometry† (Tent, 2006, p. 214). On the other hand, upon the death of the gifted mathematician -- and the subsequent discovery of his mathematical notes and ideas -- the world of mathematics had never been the same. Particularly his contribution to the shaping of the so-called non-Euclidean geometry, Gauss had made an impact to the sphere of geometry. His schoolmate Bolyai had asked him, for several times, pertaining to his view to Euclid’s fifth postulate -- also known as the parallel postulate. But Gauss did no t disclose his discovery concerning the existence of the non-Euclidean geometry for the reason that he did not want to â€Å"rock the boat† (Tent, 2006, p. 215). True, Gauss’s non-Euclidean geometry -- first he called it as anti-Euclidean -- had caused a stir in the area of mathematics marked in the late 18th century. Non-Euclidean geometry is basically defined as an area in geometry in which Euclid’s first four postulates are held but the fifth postulate has a quite different and distinct version in contrast to what is stated in the Elements (Weisstein, 2011). Among various versions of non-Euclidean geometry, the so-called hyperbolic geometry is where Gauss belongs to. In one of their conversations, Gauss revealed to Schumacher about his anti-Euclidean geometry: â€Å"I realized that there also had to be triangles whose three angles add up to more or less than 1800 in the non-Euclidean world. I had it all mapped out† (Tent, 2006, 214, my italics). Here, Gauss categorized the fundamental elements of his newly found mathematics. That is to say, Gauss’s non-Euclidean geometry is a departure from two-dimensional geometry characterized in Euclidean mathematics. Gauss’s hyperbolic geometry, in fact, works greatly in three-dimensional geometry or space. Thence, the impact of Gauss’s mathematical discovery, if not innovation, was quite evident especially within the field of mathematics. For one, Gauss had opened up a new world or knowledge about the wider space or scope of mathematics, particularly geometry. That is, man does not live in a narrow two-dimensional space. Based from this paradigm (i.e., hyperbolic geometry), one can explore the multifarious possibilities laid open by non-Euclidean geometry. Perhaps the greatest impact of Gauss’s hyperbolic mathematics is found in the sphere of astronomy. In 1801, for instance, Gauss’s mathematics had greatly facilitated the discovery of a dwarf planet named Ceres (Tyson, 2004). Evidently, this is the triumph of mathematics. Utilizing the non-Euclidean geometry, it became possible for man to calculate the universe even without the use of advanced technology such as the telescope. Using Gauss’s hyperbolic geometry, man is able to see the cosmos beyond the Euclidean geometry can offer. Space, after all, is three-dimensional -- be it space in/on earth or in the universe. Generally, non-Euclidean geo

Case study (multiple myeloma) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Case study (multiple myeloma) - Essay Example The substantial weight loss should also alert someone about a possible malignant process, as it is commonly associated. The possibility of inflammatory lower back disease also should not be ruled out, as diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis can be rarely localized to the spine as well. Weight loss can also be a non-specific finding. Thus inflammatory arthritis should be another group of disorders to be kept as part of the diagnosis. The addition of several recent infections and being short of breath despite being a non-smoker adds another layer of possibilities. Recurrent recent infections (not mentioned if they were chest infections or not) can be associated with immune suppression, which is seen in hematological illnesses. Shortness of breath can be due to a variety of causes including lung diseases, severe anemia and even heart failure, which should be investigated further. The substantial weight loss is seen in many chronic conditions and malignant conditions, which can be confirmed after making the diagnosis. The history is not classically suggestive of any illness in particular, and based on the differential diagnoses outlined in the history, clinical tests should be interpreted for accurately diagnosing the condition. In view of the bone pain, the clinical chemistry can be helpful if there is bone destruction. Calcium levels (3.48 mmol/L) are elevated, which is indicative of a possible bone destructive process, which can be seen in a variety of conditions. In addition, alkaline phosphatase is raised when there is new bone formation, as typically seen in classical hypercalcaemia seen with solid tumours invading bone. Moreover, phosphate levels are normal, which rules out hyperparathyroidism as a cause. Liver damage can also raise alkaline phosopahatase levels, but in light of the above history, is not one of our differential diagnoses. However, in this case, alkaline phosphatase is normal (94 IU/L) too , which raises the possibility that myeloma is the underlying cause. Few other causes of hypercalcaemia have normal phosphates and alkaline phosphate levels. The cause of hypercalcaemia in myeloma is however complex, and thought to be related to cytokine-driven increase in osteoclast activity.In this case we should also have done full serum creatinine and electrolytes, as renal insufficiency is common in myeloma as well as itself a cause of hypercalcaemia itself. The urea levels are increased ( 14.0 mmol/L) which is some cause for concern, as it could be associated with renal insufficiency. Infact hypercalcaemia itself can cause renal insufficiency, and up to this point that could be considered as the working hypothesis. Bone pain is seen in up to 70 % of cases of myeloma, and is an important consideration even at this stage. There are no clinical chemistry tests that can confirm the diagnosis of multiple myeloma, which can only be diagnosed with any certainty with the use of immunological markers as discussed below. Blood counts and film analysis The Hb level of 10.7 g/dL shows that there is mild anaemia, although Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) is normal (82 fl) (normochromic anaemia) and so is the White cell count (11.7 x 109/L). Mild anaemia rarely

Management and Organisational Behaviour Coursework

Management and Organisational Behaviour - Coursework Example Last but not the least, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to my family and friends who’ve willingly supported me throughout this report work. Management Approach towards an Open Organizational System by †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦student name†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦.date†¦. ABSTRACT This report highlights the impact of external factors on organizational behaviour and management of the organization. It includes the Open System Model, political, economical, social, technological, environmental and legal analysis of TESCO PLC. It also explains the division of work in an organizational structure. It critically evaluates the work diversification model which is being exercised by TESCO PLC and its subsequent effects. It thoroughly examines the multi cultural factors that are impacting the organization. Investigation of challenges like consumer behaviour shift, changed societal mind set, employee related government laws, changing norms and market trends, and variable economic conditio ns faced by the management and strategic department of TESCO Public Limited is also included along with the measures that have been taken to confront them. Table of Contents Statement of submission†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦02 Acknowledgement†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.03 Abstract†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..04 Table of Contents†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦05 Management approach towards an open organisational system†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦06 a. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦06 b. An open model system†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦06 c. TESCO PLC- an introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....07 PESTEL analysis of TESCO PLC†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.....08 Division of work at TESCO PLC†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦..12 a. What is division of work†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.......12 b. Work division model implemented in TESCO PLC†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....13 c. Analysis of work division at TESCO PLC†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..13 d. Organisational chart of TESCO PLC†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..........14 Culture at TESCO PLC†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦15 a. Cultural characteristics of TESCO PLC†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.....15 b. Factors influencing its organisational culture†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ..15 Current organisational struggling scenario of TESCO PLC†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦......................16 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.....17 Appendices†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.....18 References...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦18 Management Approach towards an Open Organisational System Introduction: An Open System Model: Before analysing the management’s approach towards an organisation, let us first define an open system and its relation with

The Evolution of leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Evolution of leadership - Essay Example These are very essential in ensuring patient's wellbeing. Workers in healthcare sectors also deserve to be treated fairly in order to serve patients well. Ethical issues in healthcare sector have also evolved with time. Initially, leaders in the healthcare sector were greatly concerned about the patients' welfare only. Later on the government made decisions that greatly helped in running of healthcare facility smoothly. (Bridgit, 2005) Leaders in healthcare facilities have to ensure that ethical issues have to be adhered to. Generally, there are moral values that have to adhere to in healthcare sector. Each judgment or decision that is made in healthcare facilities has to adhere to these rules. Ethics in the healthcare sector is an issue that has not been started today. This issue can be traced back to the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries. During this time leadership has changed hands and the leaders that have been in power have in one way or the other influenced the decisions that are made in the healthcare sector. In the year eighteen forty seven, there was the overall adoption of the overall code of ethics in the healthcare sector by the American Medical Association. Between the sixties and seventies, there was such a dramatic shift in the ethics sector. There were major changes that were made including liberalization of the whole theoretical aspects. In fact there was reconfiguration from justice that was procedurally based to bioethics in general. There are various values that underpin the entire practice in healthcare sector. These are concerned with ethical decisions and actions taken in healthcare sector. The values actually provide a framework where conflicts can easily be understood in case of occurrence in the healthcare sector. They include the following. Dignity This aspect means that patients attending a healthcare facility have the right to dignity. This does not just refer to the patient only, but the doctor or the nurse too. Autonomy Another value in line with healthcare profession is overall acceptance of right of an individual making choices by him or herself but it should be an informed one in line with their care. This means that people have the right to make their own decisions in line with health care they prefer. (Kerridge, 2006) This however should be done after being given complete and accurate information by nurses etc. This means that nurse should inform patients about care available and then respect their decision. This is whereby the patient has the overall right to choose or even accept the treatment. This means that the patient is the final decision maker concerning his or her treatment. In case the patient I incapacitated, then a close relative can make the health decisions of their behalf. Beneficence This is whereby a medical practitioner is required to act to the patient's best interest. This means that whatever action is taken by a doctor or nurse has to enhance the well being of the patient. If the action that is to be taken is not to the patient's best interest, then it would not be ethical at all. This concerns all the actions that are taken including surgery. This concept is generally very much in line with the principles of humanity. Justice This aspect involves distribution of resources in healthcare facilities. This also concerns the resources that are scarce. In this case those that are involved or the medical practitioners have to ensure that they are fair when distributing such

Glomerular basement membrane diseases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Glomerular basement membrane diseases - Essay Example NORMAL GBM. LEFT - a single glomerulus. There are one million of these in each kidney. RIGHT - a close up of the GBM (G) around part of one tiny blood vessel in a glomerulus (red circle in left hand diagram) Alport syndrome is the second most common inherited cause of renal failure (Turner, 2006). The disorder involves basement membranes of the kidneys and sometimes even the cochlea and the eye (Devarajan, 2008). It occurs as a result of mutations in type IV collagen genes. There are different modes of inheritance of this disease. The commonest is X-linked which is seen in 80% of the cases. Autosomal recessive inheritance is seen in 15 % of the cases and autosomal dominant inheritance is noted in 5% of the patients with Alport syndrome. Presence of 3 of the following 4 clinical presentation is necessary to arrive at a diagnosis of Alport syndrome (Devarajan, 2008). 50-80% of patients with X-linked Alport syndrome have mutations in the COL4A5 gene. Some may even have mutations of COL4A6 along with COL4A5 gene (Devarajan, 2008). There are several hundred mutations of this gene which account for most cases of X-linked Alport syndrome. These mutations include missense mutations, splice-site mutations, and small deletions. The most common mutation is substitution for glycine in the collagenous domain of the a5 (IV) chain by a bulky amino acid. This mutation results in protein-folding abnormalities. Other mutations result in interchain association and formation of the collagen network due to premature termination of protein translation and loss of the carboxy-terminal NC1 domain. Patients with autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant Alport syndrome have mutations in COL4A3 and COL4A4 (Devarajan, 2008). Most patients of Alport syndrome present during the first 2 decades of life with persistent microscopic hematuria and episodic gross hematuria. The common X-linked form of Alport syndrome leading to ESRD predominantly affects male

The Stolen Child Essay Example for Free

The Stolen Child Essay In W. B Yeats The Stolen Child, written in 1886, Yeats employs a vivid use of imagery and contrast to create an easily visualised representation of his beloved rural Ireland, but also a world of fantasy and sheer mysticism; a world created from Yeats love and life-long intrigue of the Irish folk-lore tales of old, and how he saw their revival, their symbolism and importance as something that needed to be preserved and re- addressed amongst his modern day Ireland. Considered as one of Yeats better known earlier pieces, the poem itself and its overall message is something I feel is ery ultimately left open to much suggestion and debate. In this essay, I seek to highlight Yeats own sense of mysticism toward the old Celtic fables through his passionate and seamless depictions of his rural homeland, the World of reality and the strikingly ethereal yet easily envisioned realm of the fairies; his fantasy world. In the first stanza, Yeats makes mention toward Sleuth Wood, the name given to Slish Wood upon Lake Gil which harkens back to his childhood in rural Sligo. Where dips the rocky highland, of Sleuth Wood in the lake, (Yeats, 2008) a reference to the verlooking hilltop known as The Kings Head. His use of the woodland by name creates an instantly relatable image for the reader, the natural beauty of the rural Emerald Isle as Yeats saw it immediately realised and established. The beginning of the second stanza again grounds the reader to reality with the mention of dim grey sands of light, far off by furthers Rosses† a reference to Rosses Point, (Yeats, 2008) a small seaside village upon a headland north-west of Sligo. Again the image is an instantly recognisable and relatable one, and a true to life locational reference that gain helps see the lines of reality and fantasy to the reader ever slightly blurred. In what might be seen as homage to the stories of his youth, stories much loved by his mother, his depictions of the pastoral life of rural Ireland at the beginning of each stanza reminds the reader constantly the time and lifestyle in which they inhabit. Stanza fours mention of the lowing of the calves, and the traditional kettle upon the hob reinforce what we perceive to be the most rural of Irish homesteads, and yet what follows with the progression of each stanza is a meandering of traditional Irish uperstitions and personal, romantic depiction of Yeats contrasting fantasy world. It is stanza one where Yeats describes the leafy Island, a realm of the fairies, where they hid their fairy vats, their pots of berries and stolen red cherries (Yeats, 2008). The notion is presented of a place far removed from the pains and troubles of the real world, while still striking the image of somewhat familiarity. The image of the mischievous fairies draws from age old Irish folklore and superstitions, something Yeats throughout his life held a great fascination toward, although to say the fairies f this poem are truly seen as mischievous would be left open to interpretation. The fairies come to take a human child to the waters and the wild (Yeats, 2008), an image that relates back to many of the old Celtic mythologies of the fairly folk, how they may snatch away children replacing them with changelings. As with much of Yeats earlier works with Irish folk lore, the poem takes from and delves heavily into the Celtic influences. The fairies wish to walk hand and hand with the child across the waters 2008) The fairies represent for the greater part of the poem the essence of freedom nd innocence, or at the very least its illusion. The second stanza gives mention to them leaping to and fro, wild and free, chasing the froth bubbles of the free running waters, while the world†the world of reality†sleeps anxiously in its troubles. Much comparison can be made with the tale of Oisin and Tire Na Nog, the contrasting promises everlasting youth and freedoms. The image of the island itself invokes symbolism. The realm of the fairies is a far removed and magical one to that of the real world, but its familiarity in its connection to the world is what grounds it to not omplete disbelief. The island is located within the lake, itself a metaphor for isolation, or to be isolated from that around it while seeming not entirely out of reach. This liberates it from the harshness out the outside world, creating the sense of a romantic place untouched by the boundaries and conditions of a changing world progressing and evolving about it. Waters surround it, protecting it. The wandering water gushes (Yeats, 2008) stirs an image of something free-flowing and untameable. Nature is another image that represents the contrasting images of freedom. In tanza four, Yeats mentions the calves on the warm hillside and the brown barn mice, while in his initial description of the leafy island, herons are said to be flapping free to the waking of the drowsy water rats. The pastoral calves upon the hillside strike the image of natures enslavement to modern society. Upon the island, no such thing exists. The birds fly and wildlife roam as free as the waters and the fairies themselves. The romantic notion of such an untouched harmonious place strengthens. Again much can be made as to the true meaning behind the poem, as it is open to endless suggestion and debate. Upon first reading and analysis of the poem, innocence†or its loss†was a theme that seemed to stem from the representation of the fairies. The fairies perhaps represent everlasting innocence, something that will inevitable be lost to the human child as time and life progress† as it does with us all. They seek to take him away to preserve that which will become fleeting to him, referring to the real world as one of weeping that he can never truly fathom, but ultimately talking about the challenges of life and all that embodies it. There is a level of freedom suggested in the notion of ever-lasting innocence, again ersonified in depictions of the free running/flowing imagery of the fairy realm, to the idea of being shielded entirely from the worlds horrors can bring ones self to be liberated; if not physically then perhaps mentally or emotionally. To stay forever young is to stay forever naive, to stay pure or perhaps even without sin or corruption. This idea of preserving innocence shows to me maybe contempt for what is depicted to be the reality world, and what Yeats felt it to be. We were no longer a people and nation that Yeats saw to embrace the same beauty of heritage as we once were. We ived in a world now more politicised than ever before and in doing so, we were losing and forgetting a very large part of what was both important to us as a culture and a nation†losing our innocence in this regard.

Developing Countries’ Healthcare Systems

Developing Countries’ Healthcare Systems Question: Global Fund in the recent past suspended the funding to Uganda government citing gross financial misappropriation especially by Ministry of health officials. As a financial consultant, identify and discuss the practices and policies that could have led to this financial loss and suggest both internal and external controls that should be put in place to minimize the reoccurrence of such scenarios. Introduction Developing countries’ healthcare systems are often funded by the donors’ grants in addition to public funds from the governmental budgets. But in some cases, these funds may be mismanaged and this could lead to heavy financial losses hence depriving its beneficiaries. The mismanagement of those funds may take different forms: misspending, fraudulent misappropriation or embezzlement (The Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria). In this essay, we review the case of Uganda where The Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in 2005 suspended the country’s funding following a release of an audit report that showed gross mismanagement of funds that were supposed to support the government of Uganda in its efforts to tackle AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Kapiriri Martin, 2006). The practices and policies that could have led to this mismanagement and embezzlement are identified and discussed together with the control measures, both internal and external, that should be undertaken to prevent such financial diversion in the future. 2. Practices and policies that could have led to financial mismanagement The problem of financial resources mismanagement seems to be widespread not only in developing countries but also in developed ones (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1997). Several inadequate practices and policies are reportedly involved in the occurrence of this problem. 2. a. Non-existing clear financial norms and regulations/none compliance to financial norms and regulations The lack of clear norms and regulations to provide guidance to those involved in the management of financial resources can create a way for them to mismanage the funds that they are supposed to manage. Taking into consideration the case of Uganda, the lack of clear norms and regulations on how funds would have been used possibly created a financial managerial chaos that facilitated those who were in the positions of funds management, at each level of administrative ladder, to misappropriate or misuse them. On the other hand, financial norms and regulations might have been in place but probably the management team, at different levels, was not compliant with them. 2. b. Lack of transparency in administrative hierarchy, roles and responsibilities Undefined organisational and reporting structure, unclear roles and responsibilities among members of various teams involved in funds management might also have created managerial disorder which led to lack of financial accountability. 2. c. Poor communication Poor communication among members of different teams might also have been a key factor in funds financial management failure. Possibly, teams did not share key project documents about funds management for reviews before being released as official documents. Further, they might not have coordination forums in which they should have discussed financial issues with key stakeholders in the implementation of the projects. 2. d. Managerial incompetence and unskilled financial/accountant officers Incompetence in the management of funds and implementing the planned activities might also have led to the above financial loss. Financial procedures might not have been observed, this might have been the results of incompetent managers coupled with unskilled financial officers and accountants. Further, according to Global Fund’s 2009 Office of the Inspector General report on Lessons learnt from the country audits and reviews undertaken, Uganda’s case, Principle Recipient’ management of Sub-Recipient was poor as was shown by evidences in the report and this was one of the issues that the grant was suspended. Stating the same source, there were poor internal controls at different levels either at Principle Recipient level or at Sub Recipient level as was evidenced by the report. For example, some amount of money estimated at 4,939,497 US dollars were not accounted for, adequate supporting documents for several transactions were missing, work plan and budgets were not abode by which resulted in several expenses not related to the programmatic budget and work plan. In addition, records related to the expenses like books of account were not properly kept. There were also cases of unsupported expenses and when supporting documents were found, they were actually counterfeit. It is reported that professional financial management necessitates impeccable financial and auditing tools. Deficiency in financial supervision and control mechanisms leads to financial mismanagement like diversion or misappropriation of funds (Mobegi et al, 2012). 2. e. Lack of active involvement of some key stakeholders According to Kapiriri and Martins (2006), one of the reported possible causes of mismanagement of Global Fund grants in Uganda was low levels of civil society participation. According to Global Fund’s requirements for grant eligibility, the participation of various stakeholders in the decision making is of paramount importance. But in Uganda, it was reported that part of key stakeholders, including civil society, who were supposed to be represented in Country Coordinating Mechanisms were not either involved or were lacking the capacity to provide meaningful inputs (Kapiriri Martins (2006). 3. Internal and external controls that should be put in place to minimize the reoccurrence of such scenarios It is stated that there is one common thing in all businesses either in public or private businesses: â€Å"To be successful, they must control their operations†. This means hiring the right people, pay them the right amount of salaries, order and receive the right products and services, etc (Libby et al, 2009). To achieve this, it is important to establish and comply with specific procedures and policies which describe how the business should be run. These specific procedures and policies are controls which can be either internal or external. This theory is applied to the case under discussion. 3.1. Internal controls Internal controls are defined as set of methods an organisation puts in place in order to protect the theft of its assets, ensure the accounting information is reliable, boost effective and efficient operations, and ascertain that applicable laws, regulations and codes of ethics are complied with (Libby et al, 2009). For the case of Uganda, given the shortcomings that were identified, internal control mechanisms should be enhanced and set to target them. The internal measures would include: Regular compliance audits: these audits would ascertain that the specific procedures, rules or regulations-set out by Global Fund and as described in grant agreement-to ensure the good management of grants are observed at every level of the management. Regular operational audits: these audits would study all operating procedures at all management levels in order to measure their performance in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. According to Hayes et al (2005), operational audits are not only limited to financial issues, they might also put more emphasis on other areas of the organisation ; structure, working approaches alike or other areas where evaluation is needed. Regular audits of financial statements: these audits would analyse the financial statements to ensure that they are accurate and in accordance with set criteria. Involving stakeholders in decision making process and enhanced communication: The involvement of stakeholders and improved decision making process concerning the implementation of Global Fund programmes could have been a cornerstone in the prevention of grants mismanagement. It is argued that if legitimate and fair decision making process were used, the suspension of grants could have been averted (Kapiriri Martins (2006). Given that the poor communication between members of Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) was cited among the causes of grant mismanagement in Uganda, enhanced communication within CCM and with other stakeholders would be equally important in preventing such gross financial loss. 3.2. External controls To minimise opportunities for grants mismanagement in the future, external control mechanisms should also be enhanced. These include: Global Fund should conduct regular and timely audits and reviews to ensure that the set guidelines for the management of its grants are observed. Independent auditors should be appointed and conduct audits on different levels of grants management. It is recommended by the Global Fund’ Office of the inspector general that the external audit reports should be submitted to Global Fund not later than six months after the period to be audited ( Global Fund, 2009). Global Fund should update its guidelines regarding the management of grants to fill the gaps when they are identified. 4. Conclusion Proper Global Fund grants management is crucial in fighting against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria whose mortality and morbidity rates are still unacceptably high in developing countries. Government of Global Fund-supported countries have the mandate to ensure that the grants are used in accordance with the set guidelines and the agreements signed between them and the Global Fund. Thus, this will avoid grants mismanagement or embezzlement cases and consequently reduce mortality and morbidity rates due to the above mentioned diseases.

Changing the Stereotypical View of Native Americans in the Movie, Dance

Changing the Stereotypical View of Native Americans in the Movie, Dances With Wolves The movie Dances With Wolves begins with John Dunbar in the medic tent awaiting his leg to be cut off because of an injury and the fear of it getting gangrene. He manages to keep it when the doctors say they are too tired to work on another patient. Dunbar then decides that he wants to keep his leg when he sees one of the other soldiers hobbling around. After leaving the tent, he found that there had been no push by either side in the battle they were in, so he decided to ride a horse right in front of enemy lines in an attempt to get it started and to die. He rode twice, but neither time got shot. When he arrived back at his home line, he was a hero and was granted the horse he rode and was permitted to go to any post he desired. Dunbar had always wanted to go west to see the frontier so he requested the farthest west post. In preparing to go on the trip, he found that a soldier going out there is to be an "Indian fighter." There was a wagon driver who was willing to take him out to the post, but he annoyed Dunbar. On the way out, they saw human skulls and demolished wagon, which put a little fear in Dunbar. On arriving, Dunbar found no one there. The wagon driver tried to convince him to go back with him but Dunbar refused saying that that was his post. They then unloaded the wagon and stocked the building with the supplies. Then, as the driver was going back home, he as attacked by some Indians and killed. Dunbar stayed at the post and did some repairs and explored the surrounding area. There was a wolf that came around now and then to watch which eventually became Dunbar's companion. During this time a few Indians visited him. A... ...he entire animal leaving no waste. Another is by showing how the white men treated each other and the Native Americans. How the whites would be cruel to the Native Americans just because that was who they were. The Sioux however, were not violent or cruel to Dunbar just because he was white, but were cautious and fearful of him at first. Once they got to know him, they were more open to him willing to accept him as their friend. This movie seemed to change allegiance from the white European Americans to the Native Americans rather successfully and effectively changing the stereotypical view of Native Americans by showing which group was actually the cruelest. It demonstrated it by showing which group was the invaders and which group was the invaded. It also demonstrated this by showing how each group lived and interacted with each other and those around them.

Henrik Ibsen :: essays papers

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Ibsen was born at Skien in Norway on March 20, 1828. When he was eight, his father went bankrupt. This event made a deep impression upon him. After they went bankrupt, his family moved to a small farm north of the town where they lived in poverty. Henrik was forced to attend a small local school. He received a substandard education. In 1843, the family returned to town. Unfortunately they were still poor. Ibsen came from a very dysfunctional family. His domineering father was an alcoholic who found solace in alcohol. His quiet mother found comfort in religion. He used them as a model for his plays. The blend of an overbearing husband and a submissive wife made appearances in his plays Brand, A Doll's House, and Ghosts. The bitter character of Hjalmar Ekdal in The Wild Duck was based on Ibsen's father. When he was sixteen, he moved to Grimstad to work for a druggist. He had wanted to become a doctor, but game up on the idea after he failed Greek and Math on his! University entrance exams. Medicine was not his only ambition. He also wanted to be a painter. In 1850, Ibsen entered the first of his three writing periods. His romantic period went from 1850 to 1873. The greatest works from this period are the Brandand Peer Gynt Most of the plays that he wrote during these years are romantic historical dramas. Lady Inger of Ostraat was a romantic drama with intrigue. The Vikings of Helgeland was a simple and sad tragedy. The last play of the Romantic period was Emperor and Galilean. It is similar to Ibsen's other play Catiline because it showed his impatience with traditional attitudes and values. In both plays he showed sympathy for historical characters who were famous for being rebellious. Ibsen became the stage manager and playwright of the National Stage in Bergen in 1851. He worked there for six years. In 1857, he moved to Christiania (Oslo), where he became director of the Norwegian Theatre. He neglected both writing and the theatre. He plunged into social life with his literary friends and drank heavily. In 1858, Ibsen married Suzannah Thoresen, with whom he had one child, Sigurd Ibsen. This was a marriage that was often as misunderstood as the marriages of Ibsen's dramas. At the age of thirty, Ibsen saw his first performances of Shakespeare in Copenhagen and Dresden. Shakespeare's work convinced Ibsen that serious drama must strive toward a psychological truth and form its basis on the characters and conflicts of mankind. Ibsen and

Sexual Harassment of Teens In The Workplace Essay -- Sexual Harassment

For millions of teenagers working in the American workforce, being sexually harassed is not an uncommon occurrence in their daily work environment. Unfortunately, teenagers in the workforce become particularly vulnerable to acts of harassment because they lack awareness about their rights as an employee and do not have enough work experience or maturity to address situations that arise in the work environment. These teenagers are usually part-time workers, overlooked for training, view their supervisors as having the ultimate authority over their job, and are more likely to be unaware of harassment policies than other workers within the workforce. Despite all of these factors, more and more organizations in industries like retail (i.e. Kmart), entertainment (i.e. movie theatres), and food services (i.e. McDonalds) to be specific, have turned to teenagers as a key source of labor. In doing so, these organizations have exposed themselves to the liability of protecting the youth tha t they employ and must take even greater measures to prevent these teenagers from being subjected to a hostile work environment. Where these organizations fail to protect the youth that they employ, the federal (and State) government, by way of passing labor laws and through the administration of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), attempts to ensure that teens are fairly educated and represented if such a hostile work environment occurs. It is through the EEOC’s guardianship that the government has recognized as well as acknowledged a need to protect teenagers from harassment in the workplace and have more recently been active in taking action against organizations that fail to do so. Despite these efforts, an increasing number of... ...nd successfully prove harassment in the workplace. Larger increases in punitive and compensatory damages are becoming more common as awards by juries in cases involving working teenagers. Despite these legal protections, there is still more that needs to be done in order to ensure that employed teenagers are being protected in the workplace from harassment. Employers must recognize their neglect of teenagers within the workforce in order to become more conscious about the hostile work environments that they may be creating or promoting for the teens that they employ. With the establishment of initiatives by the EEOC to educate these teens about their rights as employees and providing assistance to employers through the creation of specific harassment prevention guidelines, it is likely that the work environment for teens in the future will change for the better.

Population Explosion in India Essay

Population explosion is a problem which is faced by the country at an alarming state. The way at which the population of the country is increasing is a cause of concern and so me of the causes of population explosion are: High birth rate which is caused by: Universal marriage system where everyone necessarily needs to get married in the country. Early marriage where the average age of marriage is extremely low as compared to other countries of the world. Illiteracy is a problem which is facing the country and the low literacy rates lead to traditional, superstitious and ignorant population. Poverty is another issue which faces the country and needs to be solved. Poor people are illiterate and see a child as a â€Å"gift of God† which indirectly leads to population explosion. Tropical climate of the country leads to girls and boys attaining puberty at an early age which is also one of the reasons for a huge population. The joint family system also leads to a division of socio-economic responsibilities among everyone in the family which leads to Women are given a low status in the society and are seen as a person for cooking and begetting and are not free to speak up for their rights. Along with this the decreasing death rate is also one of the reasons for population explosion. India’s population has already crossed the billion marks. Thus, the country having only on 2. 4 per cent of globe’s area has come to hold 16 per cent of globe’s human beings. Its current annual increase at 16 million is the highest in the world. Soon we may achieve the dubious distinction of becoming the most populous country in the world. The debate about population explosion in India is now over half a century old. It acquired a new perspective when the 2000 National Population Policy (NPP) was drafted. There was a marked shift from the target-oriented approach of the 70? s and 80? s to the one that envisioned the ‘development is the best pill’ outlook. The demographics experts, women’s groups, health organisations, social activists and academicians were able to convince the policymakers that in order to achieve the socio- demographic goals of the reduction of inequalities, provision of education, services and creation of awareness were to be taken on a priority. The main causes of big size and high growth of population can be broadly categorised into social and economic causes which are as below: i) Marriage is almost inevitable among men and women; (ii) Motherhood is nearly universal among married women; (iii) The custom of early marriage followed since many centuries has facilitated a wider range of reproductive period; (iv) The Net Production Rate (NPR) is greater than one, which means that women replace themselves by giving birth to more than one daughter which leads to constant rise in birth rate; (v) Wide ¬spread illiteracy among people, especially woman is also a major contributor.  It has been proved that there is a direct relation between illiteracy and fertility; (vi) Superstitious beliefs and myths that a male child is a must for salvation, social security and continuation of the family tree; and (vii) Misconceptions that the use of birth control measures lead to diseases, defects or general weakness. The economic causes include (i) Children are considered to be an asset not a liability by the poor who look at them as source of income; (ii) Statistics also prove that the cost benefit ratio for a child is favourable to the poor; (iii) Lack of proper medical facilities and high mortality rate of infant to want more children; and (iv) There is also total lack of economic security for widows and elderly people which makes people go for children as economic security. There are other reasons which cannot be classified as either social or economic reasons like lack of proper family planning techniques and facilities, high birth rate and low death rate. Overpopulation has far-reaching consequences on every aspect of life of a country. These consequences will have to be studied in length before we can find appropriate measures to stem the root. Overpopulation not only leads to but also perpetuates poverty. The economists are of the opinion that there are four main factors that make a country rich or poor: 1. National factors like location features and mineral resources available in the country. 2. Historical factors, i. e. whether a country has remained a colony of some other country and has suffered long economic exploitation, e. g. India under British rule. 3. Demographic factors, i. e. the size and growth of population. 4. Economic factors, i. e. availability of capital, technology, infrastructure, etc. The demographic factors assume greater importance because natural factors remain constant and history cannot be changed. The large size of population means employment of lion’s share of the resources for the production of goods for the satisfaction of the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. The high rate of growth of population means continuing additional burden on these resources. It is only due to unfavourable demographic factors that poor countries remain in perpetual poverty. The per capita income which is the indicator of richness of a country does not increase even with an increase in total income because the population which is a divisor in this equation also increases. The economists affirm that the sure way for a poor country is to increase its productive capacity by producing more capital goods like machinery. But as the overpopulated countries need consumer goods in large quantities to satisfy people’s wants it becomes difficult for them to employ their resources for the producing ‘producer’ goods and thus they remain under the vicious circle of poverty. Another drawback of population explosion is that it makes all plans made for development of the country go haywire. Our own country created an autonomous Planning Commission and started a series of Five-Year Plans from the year 1951-52. But we have not been able to bring rapid development because our population which was 36. 1 crore in 1951 has grown about three times today at approx. 108 crores. Naturally any development plan made for one person cannot be adequate for three. The age composition of our population is also not favourable. It has been found that the working age group constitutes 60% of the total population falls in the dependent age groups of a high dependency ratio of 67% calculated as follows: If we take into account the unemployment disguised unemployment and quasi unemployment into factor this would present a gloomier picture of our economy. Still further, if we consider that a high portion of those who are engaged in some type of work or the other are not technically trained and fall in the category of unskilled labour, we shall realise that our productive capacity is quite low. Under such conditions a high growth of population adds to the burden of our economy. The large size of population also has an adverse impact on our natural resources. Coal, petroleum, natural gas, minerals and forests are being excessively used to set up more industries to manufacture various consumable articles to satisfy ever- increasing wants. As these resources are limited and exhaustible, they have been dwindling so drastically that soon they would exhaust completely. Forests are being cleared to bring more land under cultivation to provide food for increasing population and to make more settlements for their living. Burning of fossil fuels in factories, vehicles and households has created another menace of environmental pollution. Injudisions use of water resources like rivers like, ponds, wells, streams and even oceans has caused water pollution. Many diseases have arisen to afflict human beings and affect vegetation as it is, the deforestation is likely to continue unabated which would further aggravate the problem. Yet another problem is the migration of rural people to urban areas in search of better earning opportunities. The statistics show an alarming increase of 57% from 34% after independence. The crowding of urban localities demand more infrastructure, civic services, transport, health, sanitation and educational facilities providing which is not only a challenging task but also means an additional burden on the already inadequate economic resources. As the stabilisation of population is the most significant task ahead of us, stringent measures are required in this direction. Some countries have sought to enforce legal remedies for this chronic malady. For example, China has applied the one child norm lay law. Some Indian states have barred the candidates having more than two children from any election. Such strict measures may work but their side effects may outweigh their benefit to society and country. We need to address the problem of overpopulation in the broader sense and in a socially controlled way. This an be done by creating awareness among people and providing them the required means. India’s population has already crossed the billion marks. Thus, the country having only on 2. 4 per cent of globe’s area has come to hold 16 per cent of globe’s human beings. Its current annual increase at 16 million is the highest in the world. Soon we may achieve the dubious distinction of becoming the most populous country in the world. The debate about population explosion in India is now over half a century old. It acquired a new perspective when the 2000 National Population Policy (NPP) was drafted.

Blood pressure Essay

Question One: Hypertension (in addition to a number of medical conditions) may be considered as primary or secondary. Explain these concepts giving three examples of secondary hypertension and their pathophysiology. Most of the conditions that cause secondary hypertension involve the overproduction of one of the body’s hormones. Some of the medical problems that can cause secondary hypertension include: Kidney disease. Secondary hypertension is related to damaged kidneys or to an abnormal narrowing of one or both renal arteries. The renal arteries are the major blood vessels that bring blood to each kidney. When the kidney’s blood supply is reduced by a narrowing (called renal artery stenosis), the kidney produces high levels of a hormone called renin. High levels of renin trigger the production of other substances in the body that raise blood pressure, particularly a molecule called angiotensin II. Adrenal disease. The adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys and produce several hormones that help regulate blood pressure. Sometimes, one or both adrenal glands make and secrete an excess of one of these hormones. Three different types of adrenal gland conditions cause high blood pressure: Pheochromocytoma. A tumour of the adrenal gland that overproduces the hormones epinephrine (adrenalin) and norepinephrine (noradrenalin). Hyperaldosteronism (also called Conn’s syndrome). Both adrenal glands can overproduce the salt-retaining hormone aldosterone or it can arise in a benign adrenal tumour. Hypercortisolism (also called Cushing’s syndrome). Both adrenal glands can overproduce the hormone cortisol or it can arise in a benign or malignant tumour. Hyperparathyroidism. A hormone called parathormone is made by four tiny glands in the neck called parathyroid glands. If the glands produce too much hormone, calcium levels in the blood increase. People with hyperparathyroidism are more likely to have high blood pressure. The exact reason for this association is not known. Question Two: Roger was a symptomatic and only came in for a check up. Why is it important for this ‘silent disease’ to be detected and appropriately treated? As blood flows through arteries it pushes against the inside of the artery walls. The more pressure the blood exerts on the artery walls, the higher the blood pressure will be. The size of small arteries also affects the blood pressure. When the muscular walls of arteries are relaxed, or dilated, the pressure of the blood flowing through them is lower than when the artery walls narrow, or constrict. Blood pressure is highest when the heart beats to push blood out into the arteries. When the heart relaxes to fill with blood again, the pressure is at its lowest point. Blood pressure when the heart beats is called systolic pressure. Blood pressure when the heart is at rest is called diastolic pressure. When blood pressure is measured, the systolic pressure is stated first and the diastolic pressure second. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). For example, if a person’s systolic pressure is 120 and diastolic pressure is 80, it is written as 120/80 mm Hg. T he American Heart Association has long considred blood pressure less than 140 over 90 normal for adults. However, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Maryland released new clinical guidelines for blood pressure in 2003, lowering the standard normal readings. A normal reading was lowered to less than 120 over less than 80. Hypertension is a major health problem, especially because it has no symptoms. Many people have hypertension without knowing it. In the United States, about 50 million people age six and older have high blood pressure. Hypertension is more common in men than women and in people over the age of 65 than in younger persons. More than half of all Americans over the age of 65 have hypertension. It also is more common in African-Americans than in white Americans. Hypertension is serious because people with the condition have a higher risk for heart disease and other medical problems than people with normal blood pressure. Serious complications can be avoided by getting regular blood pressure checks and treating hypertension as soon as it is diagnosed. If left untreated, hypertension can lead to the following medical conditions: arteriosclerosis, also called atherosclerosis heart attack stroke enlarged heart kidney damage. Arteriosclerosis is hardening of the arteries. The walls of arteries have a layer of muscle and elastic tissue that makes them flexible and able to dilate and constrict as blood flows through them. High blood pressure can make the artery walls thicken and harden. When artery walls thicken, the inside of the blood vessel narrows. Cholesterol and fats are more likely to build up on the walls of damaged arteries, making them even narrower. Blood clots also can get trapped in narrowed arteries, blocking the flow of blood. Arteries narrowed by arteriosclerosis may not deliver enough blood to organs and other tissues. Reduced or blocked blood flow to the heart can cause a heart attack. If an artery to the brain is blocked, a stroke can result. Hypertension makes the heart work harder to pump blood through the body. The extra workload can make the heart muscle thicken and stretch. When the heart becomes too enlarged it cannot pump enough blood. If the hypertension is not treated, the heart may fail. The kidneys remove the body’s wastes from the blood. If hypertension thickens the arteries to the kidneys, less waste can be filtered from the blood. As the condition worsens, the kidneys fail and wastes build up in the blood. Dialysis or a kidney transplant are needed when the kidneys fail. About 25% of people who receive kidney dialysis have kidney failure caused by hypertension. Question Three: The renin-angiotensin system plays a central role in blood pressure regulation. Explain the renin-angiotensin system with reference to Conn’s syndrome. The Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System is a hormone system that regulates BP and fluid balance. When blood volume is low, the juxtaglomerular cells in the kidneys secrete Renin directly into circulation. Plasma Renin converts a polypeptide called Angiotensinogen, which is secreted from Liver into Angiotensin I, which in turn is converted to Angiotensin II (or ATII) by the enzyme called ACE (Angiotensin converting enzyme) found in the lungs. It so happens that Angiotensin II is a potent vaso-active peptide that causes blood vessels to constrict, resulting in increased blood pressure. Angiotensin II also stimulates the secretion of the hormone Aldosterone from Adrenal cortex. Aldosterone causes the tubules of the kidneys to increase the reabsorption of sodium and water into the blood. This increases the volume of fluid in the body, which also increases blood pressure. If the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is too active, blood pressure will be too high. There are many drugs that interrupt different steps in this system to lower blood pressure. These drugs are one of the main ways to control HBP, heart failure, renal failure and the harmful effects of Diabetes. Angiotensin II is degraded to angiotensin III by angiotensinases located in red blood cells and the vascular beds of most tissues. Angiotensin III has 40% of the pressor action of ATII, but 100% of the aldosterone-producing activity of ATII. Angiotensin II has autocrine, paracrine and endocrine actions on different systems: Cardiovascular effects: AT II is the most powerful vasopressor known, constricting both arteries and veins. Myocyte growth is stimulated through a local tissue RAAS. The same system can be activated in the smooth muscle cells in conditions of HTN or endothelial damage thus contributing to and accelerating the process of Atherosclerosis. Neurological effects: ATII increases the thirst sensation by directly stimulating the Subfornical organ of the brain (Dipsogenic action). AT II also decreases the response of Baroreceptor reflex. ATII increases secretions of both ADH and ACTH besides stimulating postganglionic sympathetic fibers to secrete Noradrenaline. Adrenal effects: Angiotensin II acts on the Adrenal cortex causing it to release Aldosterone, a hormone that causes the kidneys to retain sodium and lose potassium.

Film Noir Elements in the movie Memento Essay

There is yet to be a definition to be created to accurately capture the genre of â€Å"Noir† in film. The concept was first coined by French film critics who â€Å"noticed the trend of how ‘dark’, downbeat and black the looks and themes were of many American crime and detective films released in France to theatres following the war†(â€Å"Film Noir†). The term ‘noir’ is a French word which literally means â€Å"black† or â€Å"dark†. The connotation attached to the term later on came to be those films which depicted crime, strangeness, cruelty, brutality, violence and similar other attributes. The period for Noir films flourished in the 1940s up to the 1950s, which were aptly called the â€Å"classic noir† period in movies. Later on, from the 1960s up to the current times, other types of â€Å"noir† films were conceptualized like the â€Å"neo-noir† and the â€Å"science fiction noir†, all concepts of which were derived from or echoed the original â€Å"classic noir† genus. â€Å"Memento† is one movie which typifies the â€Å"film noir† genre in that it has numerous elements which categorically makes it as one. Primarily, the existence of a lonely, confused and troubled protagonist (Schoenherr) is there. Add to this the other elements like the black-and-white scenes, the struggle, the seemingly bleak situations, the crimes perpetrated, the underground investigations, the voice-overs of the lead character, evil, paranoia and deception among other things. An interesting feature of this film though is the story unfolding from its end going up to the supposed initial scenes which took place. It is not narrated exactly in a circular motion but rather they are presented in chunks of about 10 minutes each. Aside from this, there is the alternate presentation of the colored and black-and-white formats to add narration and further expound on the sequence of events. Film noir operates on specific social, cultural and historical contexts. In this particular film, the social context used is that of the protagonist becoming a different man after the rape and murder of his wife. Leonard or Lenny loses his memory after he shoots his wife’s rapist and he is shoved and clubbed by the rapist’s companion. His head hits the bathroom mirror, and from then on, he becomes afflicted with Anterograde Amnesia or not being able to retain his short-term memory. Lenny’s memories before the accident are intact and his last memories are of his wife being murdered, hence, his ever- enduring quest to avenge her death. Most people now think of Lenny as a freak for not being able to remember thoughts, names, faces and events which are a regular part of the memory of â€Å"normal† people since he forgets his thoughts and the things he does after 15 minutes or so. However, Lenny struggles to keep his sanity by taking Polaroid pictures and immediately labeling them, writing down his ideas, and tattooing the more important thoughts on his body. Having no family to call his own, he lives in a motel room and is suspicious of everyone. His life’s direction is motivated by vengeance and a major part of the film is spent on this desire to kill. The cultural context of the film is the type of culture that was used in the movie. The setting is sometime during the 2000s in Nevada. It is not shown if the protagonist had a lot of friends before the incident which led to his ‘condition’, but it is presumed that it was probably a case of not wanting to be identified with someone with a stigma of mental illness. The only friend who was identified as someone who knew Lenny immediately after the accident was Teddy, who was the one who helped Lenny to find and kill the original murderer of his wife, and then again Jimmy G. who was also killed by Lenny. As such, it meant that the culture held a discriminating attitude towards this mental illness. Pertaining to historical context, the practice of tattooing as a body art was prevalent from the late 1990s up to the 2000s. This was a period when tattooing was no longer considered as objects of diversion done in prison cells but rather as an art form to express oneself. In the movie, the lead character made use of tattoos on his body to remind himself of essential facts/details which he always wanted to be reminded of. Although not used as an art form, the existence of tattoo parlors in the locality denoted an acceptance of the practice of self-expression, which worked quite well for Lenny. It was also a time when Polaroids were popularly used and Leonard fully exhausted the Polaroids’ capability to assist him in remembering people and places with his depressing mental condition. According to Filmsite. org, â€Å"the primary moods of classic film noir were melancholy, alienation, bleakness, disillusionment, disenchantment, pessimism, ambiguity, moral corruption, evil, guilt, desperation and paranoia† (â€Å"Film Noir†). These themes are evident in the seclusion, isolation and omnipresent monologues of the lead character who wanted to establish the links to find meaning in his life. A wide array of emotions ranging from suspicion, confusion, naivete, loneliness, alienation, hatred, and bewilderment among others were efficiently delivered by the lead actor to the viewers who empathized with him in his daily struggle to survive. Noir movies characteristically have a protagonist who is usually reclusive, generally disturbed and commonly pessimistic. The lead character in â€Å"Memento† is not the typical protagonist since he lives his life everyday like a clean new slate. Just like the first part of this movie where a Polaroid picture was being undeveloped, Lenny lived his life always careworn to find out what he had been doing and what he should be doing next. His ultimate aim was to find his wife’s killer, a task which Teddy assists him with. Although he is somewhat of the withdrawn type, Lenny is still enthusiastic about life and is confident that his Polaroids, notes and tattoos are taking him somewhere. Different noir styles were also apparent throughout the film. One is that â€Å"storylines were often elliptical, non-linear and twisting† (â€Å"Film Noir†) which connotes the unique presentation customarily associated with noir. Regular films are often presented in a manner where the story unfolds conventionally from beginning to end. The story told backwards and in bits and pieces was a unique way of entrancing the audience into being an active participant in the life of Leonard, trying to come up with his/her own conclusions or links to previous scenes and events. â€Å"Amnesia suffered by the protagonist was a common plot device† (â€Å"Film Noir†) which was obviously the illness which the lead character was afflicted with. This sort of justified the way with which Lenny killed the possible murderers without remorse or guilt since his brain was devoid of any emotions relating to pity and mercy. Furthermore, it is said that â€Å"the protagonists in film noir were normally driven by their past or by human weakness to repeat former mistakes†(â€Å"Film Noir†) which is what happens to Lenny as the film unfolds. It is only later in the movie that it is revealed that Lenny had already killed his wife’s murderer, and Teddy had even taken a Polaroid shot of him after the said killing. It was due to his mental condition that Lenny was not able to remember the incident which Teddy later used to his advantage in getting rid of Jimmy G. who was a drug dealer. The original story of Memento was an idea brought forward by the brother of the movie’s director, Jonathan Nolan in the late 1990s. The storyline was finished after several months and director Christopher Nolan came up with the idea that he wanted to tell the movie backwards, hence the screenplay was manipulated in a way where shot sequences were cut up into small bits. In between the colored takes were the non-colored shots to denote two timelines of what was the past and the present respectively. At some point towards the end of the movie, the black-and-white scene becomes colored specifically when Lenny takes the Polaroid picture of the dead Jimmy G, who was the second murder suspect endorsed by Teddy. This signified the beginning of a new chapter in the life of Leonard, and the true commencement of the story which somehow tragically ends with the death of its instigator, Teddy. The artistry presented in the film being of a different genre is – as previously mentioned — largely seen in the story’s presentation to the viewer. The lead actor was also shown in black-and-white scenes and colored ones which showed contrasting characters – one, the rugged, unshaven, unkempt, menacing and confused character who shoots the gun at Jimmy G. in black-and-white, and the other, the suit-clad formally dressed and more confident Lenny who drives a Jaguar in colored film. This implies that the main character had good and bad traits, although the bad traits were more emphasized but later exposed to be manipulations done by some of the other characters in the plot. One of these characters is Natalie who represents the ‘femme fatale’ element in the movie, and who adds further intricacies to the plot and manipulates Lenny into a mental tug-of-war with Teddy’s statements. The cinematography of the film was excellent as emphasis was done where it was necessary, and accurate illumination was also appropriately achieved. Editing was also good especially in the cuts of the film that had to be fed in several lumps, and in two different formats of color and B&W. Continuity in the film was smooth and flowed effortlessly. The film scoring was suitable and elicited empathy from the viewer in the scenes where dialogues were not really necessary. The closest thing to special effects in the film was the way that the first sequence was presented to the viewer where the Polaroid shot was being undeveloped instead of the other way around. It goes back up to the time Lenny shoots Teddy and the latter was screaming for his life. Acting in the film was superb. Guy Pearce as Leonard was able to deliver all the emotions expected from him and thus elicited the required compassion from the viewer. Teddy, Natalie, Sammy Jankins and all the other actors also did a good job in making the plot more focused on the plight of the main character, thereby allowing Lenny to stand out. The movie â€Å"Memento† has some allusions to significant theories and concepts. One of these is the concept of Cultural Materialism. The most active proponent of Cultural Materialism is Marvin Harris and the premise of this theory is that the social life of a human being is a direct response to problems arising from his earthly existence. Leonard’s actions can be rationalized as a practice of cultural materialism because he is merely responding to his problems instead of taking a proactive role in it. This is due in large part to his illness which he cannot control and which allows him to be manipulated by some shady characters in the film. Existentialism is another concept which is apparent in this movie. The plot evolves around the lead character, Leonard, who tries to find meaning in his existence as he grapples with his affliction rendering him confused and stressed at most times. He tries hard to think and look back but cannot, and this is what leads him to try to devise ways in which he could remember things, events, places and people who have somehow played an important role in his life, after the accident which claimed his short-term memory. Lastly, there is the hint of self-determination as seen in the main character as he tries his best to make decisions without the influence of others. Unfortunately, he was not aware of the subtle approach which was used by the movie’s disreputable characters who were always one step ahead of him in his plans. Still, it was revealed near the movie’s end that Lenny was also utilizing his selective memory to manipulate the situation in such a way as to be able to create and continually re-create his motives for vengeance. Since finding the possible suspects to his wife’s murder was the only impetus which kept him alive, it was a need he had to satiate, and hence, an inspiration which kept him continually in pursuit of. References Schoenherr. Revised 4/11/03. Characteristics of Film Noir. Retrieved from http://history. sandiego. edu/gen/filmnotes/filmnoir. html Film Noir. 2010. Retrieved from http://www. filmsite. org/filmnoir. html Film Reference: Ryder, A. , Tyrer, W. & Ball, C. (Producer) & Nolan, C. (Director). 2001. Memento. United States: New Market Films.